Posted on June 13, 2024May 15, 2025 by Dale Phillips Quick Cuts: The “Wintonbeast” 7-String Lap Steel Guitar Quick Cuts: The “Wintonbeast” 7-String Lap Steel Guitar by David Worthy Originally published in American Lutherie #87, 2006 I don't know how the more unusual projects get off the ground for most people, but I vaguely remember a campfire beside the Guinness tent at the Fairbridge Folk Festival (about an hour’s drive south of Perth in Western Australia), and the usual guitar-head beer-talk that naturally ensues. Somehow eighteen months later I sent Andrew Winton a drawing with (almost) every silly idea I could think of for him to consider — and to my surprise he said, “Yeah, looks great!” So I built it. Andrew lives in Perth. I live in Melbourne, 2500 miles away. The brief proposed seven strings, the word “orchestral” was in there, and “piano,” and, of course, “lap steel.” Andrew’s final preferred tuning was A a E a e a´ b´. String gauges run (low to high) .082", .045", .056", .045", .032", .017", and .017". The first six strings have a 27" scale; the 7th has a 36" scale. The top is western red cedar; the back and sides are Australian blackwood, as is the neck. It is bound in curly maple, and all the black is ebony. It was built in the Spanish style and required a few little inventions on the way. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on June 13, 2024May 30, 2025 by Dale Phillips Routing Neck Dovetails, Part 2 Routing Neck Dovetails, Part 2 by Roy Woltz Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Data Sheet #162, 1980 Here is the simplified method of making dovetail neck joints with a router and dovetail bit. First, figure the depth of the guitar body at the heel. Mine are usually 3 3/8", so I make the dovetail 3" long. It will taper about 1/4" to the inch. The female jig is designed to be used with a holding mold attached to a table. The mold must be fastened to form a 90° angle to the table top and to bring the heel surface of the body into such a position that the jig can be extended over it. The body is put in the mod with the soundboard facing out, and is held in working position with the wedges and rubber bands. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on June 13, 2024May 15, 2025 by Dale Phillips ‘Doc’ Watson ‘Doc’ Watson by Dennis Siler Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Quarterly Volume 10, #4, 1982 Arthel Watson (“Doc” to his friends) was born in Stoney Fork, North Carolina in 1923. At age 13 with two years of banjo experience already under his belt, Doc began to learn the guitar. He has since that time amassed an enormous and growing group of admirers around the world. Doc’s musical background is wide and varied. He began playing professionally in 1953 and played in both country-western and rock groups. In the early ’60s he began to travel around the country, performing folk and traditional music at festivals, folk clubs and colleges. In his present concert tours, Doc plays a wide variety of music; folk, traditional bluegrass, rock-a-billy, blues and almost anything else. He wows the crowd everywhere he goes — young and old alike. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on June 13, 2024May 6, 2025 by Dale Phillips Mike Longworth: Questions and Answers Mike Longworth: Questions and Answers from his 1978 GAL Convention lecture by Mike Longworth Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Quarterly, Volume 6 ,#4, 1978 The Martin research department is much talked about. Can you tell us what effect, if any, it has on the production line? We had a full fledged research department back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. At that time, we were experimenting with tuning tops and bodies, and were taking measurements on different kinds of bracing. Two of the models that came out of that were the N-10 and N-20 guitars. The fellow who ran our research and development department went to Europe and his successor eventually became honcho of our sawmill operation. When we go to develop something new, like the new M-38 guitar, he definitely has a hand in it. We are not actively researching at the present time. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on June 6, 2024May 27, 2025 by Dale Phillips Questions: Guitar Rib Depth Questions: Guitar Rib Depth by R.M. Mottola Originally published in American Lutherie #85, 2006 Mark Korsten of Hastings-on-Hudson, NY asks: The article concerning how the rib depth of guitars should be adjusted when plates are domed was clearly written and illustrated (AL#84). I truly appreciate the insights offered by author R.M. Mottola. Being a neophyte luthier, however, I have what is probably a naive question. How does changing the depth of the guitar’s ribs modify the manner in which the bindings are fitted to the binding ledge? It’s a fairly easy operation to bend the binding when the plates are flat. However, when the depth of the ribs are varied, doesn’t that introduce another plane to the geometry? Do you simply use more flexible, thinner bindings or stronger binding tape to keep things tightly apposed in the ledge? R.M. Mottola responds: Although the doming of the plates means that the side depth of the ribs must be varied so the ribs and plates can be glued, this type of construction has little effect on binding. The ledges can be routed using a router resting on the plate or inverted in a router table. In either case the doming is so slight that the routing can be done just as if the plates were flat. And although the bindings must be bent vertically to accommodate the varying rib depth, the amount is so small as to be inconsequential. ◆
